Oh, those baby cuddles...

I'm going to miss them. As I sit on the couch holding my son, he's facing me and we're smiling at each other. Then he does it--a little shake of his head, thumb pops in his mouth, and he lays his head down on me. He snuggles right up under my chin, like he's listening to my heartbeat, and I pause for a moment to try to burn this memory into my brain. I don't ever want to forget these moments.

Too soon though, after only a few seconds, he pushes away as if suddenly remembering that there are things to see, places to go. He looks around the room to see where he can explore next as I hold him tightly. Already?, I think. He's already working on becoming an independent little boy. Crawling will come too soon. Walking and running will quickly follow. The baby cuddles will be traded for high fives, quick hugs, and pecks on the cheek.

I have learned from raising his sisters that every now and then he'll still need to just sit in Mom's lap, cuddle up with my arms around him, and know that he will always be loved. No matter what gets broken or torn or scribbled on, no matter how frustrated Mom or Dad might get, he'll know how much we love him.

And for now, I'm going to enjoy these baby cuddles as much as I possibly can. :)